43
Latinos and Health Disparities in Substance Abuse Treatment
Friday, January 18, 2013: 8:00 AM-9:45 AM
Nautilus 3 (Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina)
Cluster: Substance Misuse and Addictive Behaviors
Symposium Organizer:
Erick Guerrero, PhD, University of Southern California
Discussant:
Hortensia Amaro, PhD, University of Southern California
Despite concerns nationally with health disparities, research evidence focused on substance abuse treatment utilization and outcome for Latinos is in short supply. The limited evidence available indicates Blacks and Latinos report more mental health and substance abuse problems than do Whites, and experience more barriers, such as language and limited cultural resources, which reduce their access to services. Utilization research shows that compared to Whites, Blacks and Latinos: (1) are less likely to seek and complete treatment; (2) receive fewer services overall, and (3) are less satisfied with treatment. In terms of outcome, some studies indicate that Black and Latino groups remain in treatment for shorter periods than White groups, but still demonstrate positive outcomes in terms of reduced substance use as well as improved health and social functioning. Overall, the paucity of datasets with adequately-sized Latino samples and subsamples has been a primary barrier to the development of evidence-based substance abuse services for Latinos. We have little evidence relevant to (a) tailoring services to Latino client needs in order to achieve the best outcomes, and (b) the development of culturally competent practices, i.e., those designed to meet the specific needs of specific groups. Significant questions remain about substance use patterns, increasing access and improving effectiveness of substance abuse treatment for Latinos. These questions are particularly important in light of the well-documented challenges to insuring access for Latinos in our national service system.
This symposium will bring together analyses of substance use patterns, service utilization and outcome across large-scale data sets with substantial Latino samples: the Los Angeles County Participant Reporting System (LACPRS), a county dataset from all publicly funded substance abuse treatment programs in Los Angeles County where 52% of sample is Latino; and a national dataset, the National Treatment Improvement Evaluation Study (NTIES), a prospective study of substance abuse treatment programs across the U.S. where 11% of the sample is Latino. Both datasets include measures of service utilization and outcome that permit focused analyses with Latino samples as well comparative analyses across race/ethnic groups. In addition, the symposium will rely on qualitative data that documents substance abuse patterns among Latinos from the last six decades. In particular, this final presentation will provide a comprehensive picture of the intersection between individual characteristics and community and service factors related to use of opiates among Latinos. All papers in the symposium will address the following three questions:
(1) How do findings contribute to the evidence base relevant to substance abuse patterns, as well as increasing utilization and improving outcomes of substance abuse treatment for Latinos? ;
(2) What are implications of the findings for developing strategies to increase accessibility and effectiveness in the provision of substance abuse treatment services to Latinos?;
(3) What are implications of findings for developing strategies to tailor health and social services for Latino clients to improve substance abuse treatment outcomes?
* noted as presenting author